01 February 2011

Iowa House Votes 62-37 to Ban Gay Marriage and Civil Unions

A setback in the heartland. By a 62-37 vote, the Iowa House of Representatives has passed Joint Resolution 6, a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would ban same-sex marriage, civil unions or any form of relationship recognition for same-sex couples, reports One Iowa.

The bill now moves on to the Iowa Senate, where Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal has vowed to fight attempts to pass the amendment. If passed through both legislative bodies in two consecutive General Assemblies, the issue could be on the ballot as soon as 2013.

"The proposed amendment devalues families and divides Iowans," said One Iowa Executive Director Carolyn Jenison. "The Constitution is meant to protect the freedoms and liberties of all Iowans. It is inappropriate to use the political process to single out and deny a group of Iowans of their constitutional protections."

Democrats have a narrow 26-24 edge in the Senate.

Marriage equality has been legal since a 7-0 Iowa Supreme Court ruling in April 2009. In a separate move, Republican legislators are attempting to impeach the four remaining Iowa Supreme Court justices who issued the landmark ruling.